Burnham Week 2019 - Day 1
by Sally Harbott 25 Aug 2019 09:52 BST
24-31 August 2019
Legs Eleven (GBR 110) leading the pack before going on to win the RS Elite Eastern Championship at Burnham Week 2019 © Alan Hanna
Champagne conditions greeted the competitors on Saturday at the start of Burnham Week 2019.
An Easterly breeze of about 10 knots meant a good long beat for the Pile House fleets down river, classes 1 and 2 going as far as Whitaker No7 and Sunken Buxey. Classes 5 and 6 went to Outer Crouch 4 and Crouch or Ron Pipe. The smaller day boat classes did a windward leeward between Inner Crouch and Pinto, with the Dragons and 707s going further down to Outer Crouch and Ron Pipe.
In Class One Intense, owned by Lizzie Brown, got a great start and led, taking line honours, with Exile, Paul Trueman's X37 next to finish, followed by Jackel owned by Digger Harden, Mike Schneidau and Richard Oram, helmed by Flynn Davis. For corrected times and full results go to www.burnhamweek.com.
In Class 5 Richard Moore's Ophelia took line honours, with the SJ 27 Grace and Danger owned by Stephen Gosling and Andrew Courts finishing just ahead of the MG, Spring Chicken, sailed by Phillip Harbott. Dan Tribe's Traigh helmed by Rosemary Prior finished next with Ant Law in his Folk Boat Tifano fifth to finish.
Class 6 is non spinnaker and had three starters today. Ron Woolhead in his new boat Toucan led and took line honours, well ahead of long time Burnham Week supporter David Hill in his Contessa 32, Spangle. Rainbow, a Hunter Delta owned by Peter Prodger finished third on the water.
The Dragon fleet this year is strong and the start was closely contested. Rob Campbell in Quicksilver VI won in Quicksilver, with Mark and Mandy Wade in Avalanche second. David Hall in Flame Again took third.
In the Hunter 707 fleet, just after the start Baby Beluga came across the fleet from behind and down to leeward and made up much ground. Nic Tolhurst sailing Debbie de Boltz's Baby Beluga won, with Jason Phelps finishing second.
The Elites had two scheduled races today and the first saw the fleet incredibly spread out by the final run home. Their second race was shorter and as the fleet beat down river the fleet much closer.
In the 23 strong Squib fleet, as always the start line was busy and everyone was pushing for prime windward pin end position. Ian Scott in Outlaw was early and had to go behind several boats, as did Malcolm Hutchins in Lady Penelope. As the race progressed, Guy Fawkes, owned by Phil Aspinall took the lead with another distinctive boat Squiggle in second, however, by the second beat, Squiggle sailed by Jono Brown and Chris Dunn had taken first with Guy Fawkes second. Ray Apthorp in Nemesis was third.
The RBOD fleet had close hard fought racing today. Mandarin were in the lead as the fleet rounded Pinto, and headed to beat along the South Shore against the strong flood. Stephen Herring in Red Jacket was second, and took a flier over to the North Shore. This paid off, and Red Jacket took the lead for the last run home. Chris Corrigan in Phalarope took the South Shore for the last beat but took it too shallow, going aground, the second RB to do so on the beat.
The RCODs were led by John Waples in his distinctive pink boat, Corpo Santo, with Will Wallis in Coram second and Justin Waples in Cormorant third.
The dinghies raced from the Burnham Sailing Club and did a round the houses course between 7 and 13 for their first race and a much shorter second race in the afternoon. The Phantoms had their own class with a dinghy handicap class and RS200s. In the RS200 class, Ella and Martha Waples took two bullets.
More pictures and full results at www.burnhamweek.com